Spent all last Saturday hunched over my pool with a vacuum again. My back’s killing me. This is NOT what I pictured when we bought this house.
Quick backstory – we moved in 4 years ago. First summer was fun, just figuring out how everything worked. Second summer I was still in the “proud pool owner” phase where I didn’t mind the maintenance. By summer 3, the novelty had definitely worn off. Now we’re in year 4 and I’m seriously questioning my life choices.
Pool care is relentless. And I’m not even talking about balancing chemicals (that’s a whole other nightmare). Just keeping the thing free of debris is exhausting.
The problem is mainly the stupid pine trees along our back fence. Pine needles. Constantly. Year round. Plus pollen in spring, seed pods, you name it.
My Breaking Point
I’ve tried everything. Extended the pole. Bought a better skimmer. Tried those “miracle” vacuum attachments they sell at Leslie’s. Nothing really helps when nature is determined to turn your pool into a forest floor.
John next door suggested a robotic cleaner back in July when he caught me out there at 8pm still cleaning after working all day. “Best money I ever spent,” he kept saying. I nodded but internally I was like, “Yeah right, they cost a fortune and probably break after a year.”
But after spending another full Saturday dealing with the aftermath of a thunderstorm (WHY did we get a house with a pool in Florida??), I finally broke down and started researching.
Holy sticker shock, Batman. These things aren’t cheap!
Taking the Plunge
Eventually I settled on the Dolphin E50 based on a bunch of YouTube reviews and forums. Found it here: link to the dolphin e50 if anyone’s interested.
First impression when it arrived? Way heavier than I expected. Thought for sure I’d return it. But I was desperate, so I dropped it in anyway.
Honestly? I was skeptical. How could this thing possibly clean better than me with my trusty vacuum pole?
Three hours later… jaw on the floor. The pool looked AMAZING. And the amount of gunk in the filter basket was embarrassing. Like, was I even cleaning at all before??
The Real-World Results
Fast forward 8 months. I’m a total convert. This thing just works. I drop it in every couple days, go do something else, come back to a clean pool. That’s it. No more weekend cleaning marathons.
Is it perfect? No way.
- The cord gets tangled sometimes
- It doesn’t get every single leaf (still need to skim occasionally)
- Had to replace one part already ($40 I wasn’t planning to spend)
- Sometimes struggles with the steps
But compared to manual cleaning? No contest.
Is It Actually Worth the Money?
And yes, it was expensive. But consider this – I was burning 3-4 hours EVERY weekend cleaning. That’s like 16 hours a month of my life I’m getting back. If I value my time at anything above minimum wage, this thing pays for itself pretty quick.
If you’ve got an above-ground pool, my cousin got the E10 model instead: dolphin e10 Cheaper option that’s specifically built for above-ground pools. She loves it.
I talked to a few people around the neighborhood about their pool robots too. Seems like overall the Dolphin brand is pretty reliable. Ted down the street has had his for like 5 years and it’s still going strong (which made me feel better about the price tag).
Bottom Line
Look, I’m not here to tell you what to do with your money. Maybe you ENJOY vacuum cleaning your pool every weekend (weirdo). But if you’re sick of giving up your free time to pool maintenance – and you can swing the upfront cost – robotic cleaners are legitimate game changers.
Just maybe wait for a sale? I paid full price and still kind of mad about it.
Side note: I’ve noticed I use the pool way more now that it’s consistently clean. Used to be this whole production – “I need to clean it first” every time someone wanted to swim. Now it’s just… ready.
Anyway, that’s my experience. Take it or leave it. I’m off to actually enjoy my Sunday for once.
